AUTUMN IN BIG SUR

THE WORLD OF THE LIME KILNS

It is a heart link for us.
We were first enchanted by the area
when it was a private campground.

From that date in 1969 our lives were

 drawn again and again to

special moments in this Redwood Forest Canyon.

We've celebrated, mourned, camped, hiked,

and always gain respect for its reverie.

The light plays with shadows

in a fairy like way.

Textures abound.

 Up the canyon are the old Kilns, reverting to time's and the 
forests design for them.

The Rockland Lime and Lumber Company

built the kilns in 1887.

Crushed limestone and debris from a landslide

and from shallow hillside pits north east of the kilns were 

put on sleds for a trip down the slope.

An 1888 State Mineralogist report said the kilns were 

loaded from the top and had a capacity of 110 barrels a day.

The operation burned local redwood to heat

the stone to 600 degrees to breakdown the

limestone into quick lime or caustic lime.

The byproduct was was removed from the kiln, cooled and

then loaded on wagons to be taken out of the canyon.

 Down the canyon to steam powered pulleys to be loaded aboard steamships that carried the material north where it 
was used in cement and concrete to build San Francisco.

As our friend Jim, who first took us to Lime Kiln and Big Sur, always says "Big Sur never disappoints." 
See you down the trail.

BIG SUR JADE FEST

GOOD VIBES

A unique festival and one of the world's
most scenic settings offer a full sensory
celebration.
The Big Sur Jade Fest needs to be seen.

In many ways it is the cultural and emotional

descendant of the Big Sur Congregation

that Brian Wilson wrote and sang of in

California Saga. The lyrics are below.

Artistic excellence reigns. These carved

pieces are by Gary Gowdy, who

also happens to be our electrican.

There is work by other talented craftsmen.

It is a cultural weekend.

His naan bread is fantastic.

 Probably no where else will you find such a blend
sights, sound, aromas, art, culture and being free.
As Brian sang "The people there in the open air...One big family...and their new found liberty."
And unlike the old Big Sur Congregation with
Country Joe, this time-plans for hygiene!

The California Saga
Brian Wilson

On my way to sunny California
On my way to spend another sunny day

Water, water get yourself in the cool, clear, water
The sun shines brightly down on Penny's place
The sun shines brightly down on the bay
The air's so clean it'll just take your mind away
Take your mind away
Take your mind away

Have you ever been south of Monterey
Barrancas carve the coast line and the chaparral flows to the sea
'Neath waves of golden sunshine
And have you ever been north of Morro Bay
The south coast plows the sea
And the people there are of the breed
They don't need electricity
Water, water, cool cascades of clear, clear water
The sun dance final scene sets the hills ablaze.
Horizon edges quick up the mountain's way.

Have you ever been down Salinas way?
Where Steinbeck found the valley
And he wrote about it the way it was in his travelin's with Charley
And have you ever walked down through the sycamores
Where the farmhouse used to be
There the monarch's autumn journey ends
On a windswept cyprus tree

Water get water get yourself in that
Get yourself in that get yourself in that cool, clear, water
The sun shines brightly down on Penny's place
Get yourself in that water
The air's so clean that it just takes your mind away
Take your mind away
Take your mind away

Have you ever been to a festival, the Big Sur congregation?
Where Country Joe will do his show
And he'd sing about liberty
And the people there in the open air, one big family.
Yeah the people there love to sing and share
Their new found liberty

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) CREATIVE SELLING

ONE OF THE GREATEST

&

ONE OF THE NEWEST

The coverage of Steve Jobs passing brought

back one of the all time greatest commercials.

This is a classic.

And this one will leave you with a smile

Have a good weekend.

See you down the trail.

LATE TO THE POST

JUST A CALIFORNIA THING

Since beginning this blog last December I have tried to make sure I post every weekday.  Realizing that I live by the California clock, I also try to get this up to the blogosphere during a reasonable hour for you readers in the Eastern Time Zone.  It doesn't always happen.  Today is a case in point.

It has been a California kind of day and well, dude, I'm behind.  Tennis this morning, the match went longer than normal. Coffee that followed, it too went longer when Dino offered me samples of his new line of Cayenne pepper and lavender, plus other spices and seasonings.

It was a birthday gathering of the Friday lunch Flash Mob at Sebastians and we tarried over cookies and pie.

We hit the farmers market for fresh produce including what could be the last of the Thomcord grapes of the season. The grower said this week's rains really pounded him.

We then drove down the coast to Morro Bay to buy some fresh fish and oysters, just off the boat.  Back to Cambria for a quick shower and cocktail and then off to the Allied Arts reception for the new hanging of Shirley Pitman water colors.

Lana also had a painting selected for the show.

It was a great reception.  Artists are great partiers and conversationalists. 

Back home, fire up the grill, open a bottle of local wine and  officiate the prep of dinner-Halibut cheeks and oysters on the grill.  So, the great life here on the coast has delayed

the "bizness" of the day-getting this post up for whoever

is curious about what is written here.

Between the lines today-conversation about Steve Jobs and the reaction his passing has received.  I'm surprised  that some folks don't know or understand the impact he has on modern communication.  

So to those of you in the ET zone

 or in Europe-sorry for the late post-

it's been a California kind of day.  And I feel lucky.

Plus it was my eldest daughter-Kristin's birthday. Also the birthday of my late kid brother Jim and the great poet James Whitcomb Riley.  

 It is still way up there on the mountain, but the castle

was shining in the sun today.

 The Pacific was indeed peaceful behind the Hearst warehouse.

and the Friday lunch Flash Mob was slow to leave.

Ah, California.

See you down the trail.